Research

  • More than 10,000 supernovae counted in stellar census

    Since 2018 the Zwicky Transient Facility, an international astronomical collaboration based at the Palomar Observatory in California, has scanned the entire sky every two to three nights. As part of this mission, the ZTF's Bright Transient Survey has been counting and cataloging supernovae — flashes of light in the sky that are the telltale signs of stars dying in spectacular explosions.

    12/06/2024 | UW News
  • That's no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar

    Hummingbird bills — their long, thin beaks — look a little like drinking straws. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. University of Washington scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible.

    12/05/2024 | UW News
  • The Quantum Quest

    Quantum science is poised to tackle problems of mind-boggling complexity, with UW faculty and students in Arts & Sciences and Computer Science & Engineering playing a key role in quantum research.

    December 2024 Perspectives
  • NSF awards UW partners $13.6M to broaden access in the sciences

    The UW’s Molecular Engineering and Materials Center and Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand, in collaboration with partner institutions, have been selected for NSF Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) awards totaling $13.6 million to broaden participation and access to materials science resources, education, training, and career opportunities at minority-serving institutions.   

    UW Department of Chemistry
  • Analysis: New maps show high-risk zones for whale-ship collisions − vessel speed limits and rerouting can reduce the toll

    "Imagine you are a blue whale swimming up the California coast, as you do every spring. You are searching for krill in the Santa Barbara Channel, a zone that teems with fish, kelp forests, seagrass beds and other undersea life, but also vibrates with noise from ship traffic. Suddenly, the noise gets louder," writes Anna Nisi, a postdoctoral scholar of biology at the UW.
    The Conversation
  • Protecting 2.6% of oceans could prevent deadly whale-ship collisions: Study

    Ship strikes are a leading threat to large whales, with global shipping routes overlapping 92% of their habitats, a new study finds. But protecting whales in the most dangerous collision hotspots would require action over just 2.6% of the ocean’s surface, researchers conclude, potentially saving thousands of whales with minimal disruption to global trade. Briana Abrahms, assistant professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    Mongabay
  • Noisy boat traffic may hide fish from hungry orcas

    Scientists eavesdropped on orcas and found ship sounds may hide fish from the endangered killer whales. Jennifer Tennessen, senior research scientist in biology at the UW Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, is quoted.
    National Geographic
  • Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place

    A new study led by the University of Washington has for the first time quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. In a paper published online Nov. 21 in Science, researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale speciesâ ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.
    UW News
  • Researchers at UW improve upon survey-based system for better homeless counts

    Assessing the size of the homeless population is full of challenges and has often led to undercounts, but a team of researchers at the University of Washington has developed a system that they say fills in those gaps. Zack Almquist, a UW associate professor of sociology, and Amy Hagopian, professor emeritus of health systems and population health, are interviewed.
    KOMO 4
  • What exactly happens when the nucleus of an atom splits in two?

    Nuclear fission has powered our world and medical advancements for decades, yet some of its secrets have remained elusive. Aurel Bulgac, professor of physics at the UW, is quoted.
    Earth.com
  • Miniature backpack-like tags offer insight into the movement of hummingbirds

    A team led by scientists at the University of Washington and the University of Aberdeen attached tiny âbackpackâ trackers to hummingbirds in the Colombian Andes to learn more about their movements. As they report in a paper published Oct. 10 in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the tracking system will aid conservation efforts in this region by revealing the previously hidden movements of hummingbirds and other small animals.
    UW News
  • Reconstructing ancient Andean climate provides clues to climate change

    As Earth faces unprecedented climate change, a look into the planetâs deep past may provide vital insights into what may lie ahead. But knowledge of the natural world millions of years ago is fragmented. A 15-year study of a site in Bolivia by a joint U.S.-Bolivia team has provided a comprehensive view of an ancient ecosystem when Earth was much warmer than it is today, and changed how we look at the Andes.
    UW News
  • Can axions save the universe?

    The hunt for dark matter is shifting from particles to waves named after a laundry detergent. Gray Rybka, associate professor of physics at the UW, is quoted.
    The New York Times
  • Americans are hoarding their friends

    Much of what can make linking friends scary — insecurity, envy, an instinct to hold tight to the people you love — isn’t new; it’s fundamentally human. But keeping your friends to yourself, what I call “friend hoarding,” is a modern practice. Katherine Stovel, professor and chair of sociology at the UW, is quoted.
    The Atlantic
  • How much energy does it take to make a baby? Researchers are rethinking what they know

    Across the animal kingdom, models have vastly underestimated the energy costs of reproduction. Lauren Buckley, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
    Nature